To: The Utah State House, The Utah State Senate, and Governor Gary R. Herbert
Eradicate the Stigma of Mental Illness: Initiate Anti-Discrimination legislation; Appropriate Nec...
End the added pain of shame for those afflicted with or touched by the devastation of serious mental illness. Research, go to NAMI and read personal accounts, information, and increase funding and awareness; speak to those directly impacted by illness, stigma, or lack of access to care and medications. We will no longer tolerate ignoring the millions of quiet cries for help.
Why is this important?
Those who suffer the devastation of mental illness, and their loved ones, quietly and in fearful isolation try to understand terrifying symptoms, find information and support, navigate the complicated path to accessing care and funding, come to terms with the loss of a planned and hoped for future, understand and accept a possible lifetime of medications (many with very difficult and serious side effects), and need for ongoing psychiatric care (a very altered new normal). We can no longer condone social stigma to further torture those who find themselves on this unbidden journey.
We cannot continue to tolerate cruel jokes, careless, ignorant portrayals, and generalizations in the media of those who suffer with schizophrenia, bipolar and other affective illnesses, and psychotic symptoms of any origin.
The mentally ill must be acknowledged as a minority class, be protected by anti-discrimination laws, and further protected by hate crime legislation.
It is incumbent on our elected officials to educate themselves about this issue and address it with required legislation and vastly improved funding.
It is incumbent on law enforcement agencies and medical professionals to understand Civil Commitment laws, and the unique needs of and how to recognize signs of mental illness, in order to appropriately and ethically respond to situations involving those afflicted and their loved ones.
It is incumbent on every citizen to gain personal understanding via NAMI, or better yet, by initiating a conversation with a family member, friend, or acquaintance impacted by mental illness.
Mental Illness is no respecter of persons, knows no social, racial, ethnic, gender, nor religious boundaries. It is the struggle and work of a lifetime for those afflicted, their loved ones, and every compassionate human being.
Contact your elected officials and inform them that you are watching and demand that mental illness be addressed as a priority.